dona perecta-第14章

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But　the　youth　of　Orbajosa　did　not　spend　all　their　time　in　the　Casino；　as　evil…minded　people　might　imagine。　In　the　afternoons　there　were　to　be　seen　at　the　corner　of　the　cathedral；　and　in　the　little　plaza　formed　by　the　intersection　of　the　Calle　del　Condestable　and　the　Calle　de　la　Triperia；　several　gentlemen　who；　gracefully　enveloped　in　their　cloaks；　stood　there　like　sentinels；　watching　the　people　as　they　passed　by。　If　the　weather　was　fine；　those　shining　lights　of　the　Urbs　Augustan　culture　bent　their　steps；　still　enveloped　in　the　indispensable　cloak；　toward　the　promenade　called　the　Paseo　de　las　Descalzas；　which　was　formed　by　a　double　row　of　consumptive…looking　elms　and　some　withered　bushes　of　broom。　There　the　brilliant　Pleiad　watched　the　daughters　of　this　fellow…　townsman　or　that；　who　had　also　come　there　for　a　walk；　and　the　afternoon　passed　tolerably。　In　the　evening；　the　Casino　filled　up　again；　and　while　some　of　the　members　gave　their　lofty　minds　to　the　delights　of　monte；　others　read　the　newspapers；　while　the　majority　discussed　in　the　coffee…　room　subjects　of　the　various　kinds；　such　as　the　politics；　horses；　bulls；　or　the　gossip　of　the　place。　The　result　of　every　discussion　was　the　renewed　conviction　of　the　supremacy　of　Orbajosa　and　its　inhabitants　over　all　the　other　towns　and　peoples　on　the　face　of　the　earth。

These　distinguished　men　were　the　cream　of　the　illustrious　city；　some　rich　landowners；　others　very　poor；　but　all　alike　free　from　lofty　aspirations。　They　had　the　imperturbable　tranquillity　of　the　beggar　who　desires　nothing　more　so　long　as　he　has　a　crust　of　bread　with　which　to　cheat　hunger；　and　the　sun　to　warm　him。　What　chiefly　distinguished　the　Orbajosans　of　the　Casino　was　a　sentiment　of　bitter　hostility　toward　all　strangers；　and　whenever　any　stranger　of　note　appeared　in　its　august　halls；　they　believed　that　he　had　come　there　to　call　in　question　the　superiority　of　the　land　of　the　garlic；　or　to　dispute　with　it；　through　envy；　the　incontestable　advantages　which　nature　had　bestowed　upon　it。

When　Pepe　Rey　presented　himself　in　the　Casino；　they　received　him　with　something　of　suspicion；　and　as　facetious　persons　abounded　in　it；　before　the　new　member　had　been　there　a　quarter　of　an　hour；　all　sorts　of　jokes　had　been　made　about　him。　When　in　answer　to　the　reiterated　questions　of　the　members　he　said　that　he　had　come　to　Orbajosa　with　a　commission　to　explore　the　basin　of　the　Nahara　for　coal；　and　to　survey　a　road；　they　all　agreed　that　Senor　Don　Jose　was　a　conceited　fellow　who　wished　to　give　himself　airs；　discovering　coalbeds　and　planning　railroads。　Some　one　added：

〃He　has　come　to　a　bad　place　for　that；　then。　Those　gentlemen　imagine　that　here　we　are　all　fools；　and　that　they　can　deceive　us　with　fine　words。　He　has　come　to　marry　Dona　Perfecta's　daughter；　and　all　that　he　says　about　coalbeds　is　only　for　the　sake　of　appearances。〃

〃Well；　this　morning；〃　said　another；　a　merchant　who　had　failed；　〃they　told　me　at　the　Dominguez'　that　the　gentleman　has　not　a　peseta；　and　that　he　has　come　here　in　order　to　be　supported　by　his　aunt　and　to　see　if　he　can　catch　Rosarito。〃

〃It　seems　that　he　is　no　engineer　at　all；〃　added　an　olive…planter；　whose　plantations　were　mortgaged　for　double　their　value。　〃But　it　is　as　you　say：　those　starvelings　from　Madrid　think　they　are　justified　in　deceiving　poor　provincials；　and　as　they　believe　that　here　we　all　wear　tails〃

〃It　is　plain　to　be　seen　that　he　is　penniless〃

〃Well；　half…jest　and　the　whole　earnest；　he　told　us　last　night　that　we　were　lazy　barbarians。〃

〃That　we　spent　our　time　sunning　ourselves；　like　the　Bedouins。〃

〃That　we　lived　with　the　imagination。〃

〃That's　it；　that　we　lived　with　the　imagination。〃

〃And　that　this　city　was　precisely　like　a　city　in　Morocco。〃

〃Well！　one　has　no　patience　to　listen　to　those　things。　Where　else　could　he　see　（unless　it　might　be　in　Paris）　a　street　like　the　Calle　del　Condestable；　that　can　show　seven　houses　in　a　row；　all　of　them　magnificent；　from　Dona　Perfecta's　house　to　that　of　Nicolasita　Hernandez？　Does　that　fellow　suppose　that　one　has　never　seen　any　thing；　or　has　never　been　in　Paris？〃

〃He　also　said；　with　a　great　deal　of　delicacy；　that　Orbajosa　was　a　city　of　beggars；　and　he　gave　us　to　understand　that　in　his　opinion　we　live　in　the　meanest　way　here　without　being　ourselves　aware　of　it。〃

〃What　insolence！　If　he　ever　says　that　to　me；　there　will　be　a　scene　in　the　Casino；〃　exclaimed　the　collector　of　taxes。　〃Why　didn't　they　tell　him　how　many　arrobas　of　oil　Orbajosa　produced　last　year？　Doesn't　the　fool　know　that　in　good　years　Orbajosa　produces　wheat　enough　to　supply　all　Spain；　and　even　all　Europe；　with　bread？　It　is　true　that　the　crops　have　been　bad　for　several　years　past；　but　that　is　not　the　rule。　And　the　crop　of　garlic！　I　wager　the　gentleman　doesn't　know　that　the　garlic　of　Orbajosa　made　the　gentleman　of　the　jury　in　the　Exposition　of　London　stare！〃

These　and　other　conversations　of　a　similar　kind　were　to　be　heard　in　the　rooms　of　the　Casino　in　those　days。　Notwithstanding　this　boastful　talk；　so　common　in　small　towns；　which；　for　the　very　reason　that　they　are　small；　are　generally　arrogant；　Rey　was　not　without　finding　sincere　friends　among　the　members　of　the　learned　corporation；　for　they　were　not　all　gossips；　nor　were　there　wanting　among　them　persons　of　good　sense。　But　our　hero　had　the　misfortuneif　misfortune　it　can　be　calledto　be　unusually　frank　in　the　manifestation　of　his　feelings；　and　this　awakened　some　antipathy　toward　him。

Days　passed。　In　addition　to　the　natural　disgust　which　the　social　customs　of　the　episcopal　city　produced　in　him；　various　causes；　all　of　them　disagreeable；　began　to　develop　in　his　mind　a　profound　sadness；　chief　among　these　causes　being　the　crowd　of　litigants　that　swarmed　about　him　like　voracious　ants。　Many　others　of　the　neighboring　landowners　besides　Uncle　Licurgo　claimed　damages　from　him；　or　asked　him　to　render　accounts　for　lands　managed　by　his　grandfather。　A　claim　was　also　brought　against　him　because　of　a　certain　contract　of　partnership　entered　into　by　his　mother　and　which；　as　it　appeared；　had　not　been　fulfilled；　and　he　was　required　in　the　same　way　to　acknowledge　a　mortgage　on　the　estate　of　The　Poplars　executed　in　an　irregular　form　by　his　uncle。　Claims　swarmed　around　him；　multiplying　with　ant…like　rapidity。　He　had　come　to　the　determination　to　renounce　the　ownership　of　his　lands；　but　meanwhile　his　dignity　required　that　he　should　not　yield　to　the　wily　manoeuvres　of　the　artful　rustics；　and　as　the　town…council　brought　a　claim　against　him　also　on　account　of　a　pretended　confusion　of　the　boundary　lines　of　his　estate　with　those　of　an　adjoining　wood　belonging　to　the　town…lands；　the　unfortunate　young　man　found　himself　at　every　step　obliged　to　prove　his　rights；　which　were　being　continually　called　in　question。　His　honor　was　engaged；　and　he　had　no　alternative　but　to　defend　his　rights　to　the　death。

Dona　Perfecta　had　promised　in　her　magnanimity　to　help　him　to　free　himself　from　these　disgraceful　plots　by　means　of　an　amicable　arrangement；　but　the　days　passed；　and　the　good　offices　of　the　exemplary　lady　had　produced　no　result　whatever。　The　claims　multiplied　with　the　dangerous　swiftness　of　a　violent　disease。　Pepe　Rey　passed　hour　after　hour　at　court；　making　declarations　and　answering　the　same　questions　over　and　over　again；　and　when　he　returned　home　tired　and　angry；　there　appeared　before　him　the　sharp　features　and　grotesque　face　of　the　notary；　who　had　brought　him　a　thick　bundle　of　stamped　papers　full　of　horrible　formulasthat　he　might　be　studying　the　question。

It　will　be　easily　understood　that　Pepe　Rey　was　not　a　man　to　endure　such　annoyances　when　he　might　escape　from　them　by　leaving　the　town。　His　mother's　noble　city　appeared　to　his　imagination　like　a　horrible　monster　which　had　fastened　its　ferocious　claws　in　him　and　was　drinking　his　blood。　To　free　himself　from　this　monster　nothing　more　was　necessary；　he　believed；　than　flight。　But　a　weighty　interestan　interest　in　which　his　heart　was　concernedkept　him　where　he　was；　binding　him　to　the　rock　of　his　martyrdom　with　very　strong　bonds。　Nevertheless；　he　had　come　to　feel　so　dissatisfied　with　his　position；　he　had　come　to　regard　himself　as　so　utterly　a　stranger；　so　to　say；　in　that　gloomy　city　of　lawsuits；　of　old…　fashioned　customs　and　ideas；　of　envy　and　of　slander；　that　he　resolved　to　leave　it　without　further　delay；　without；　however；　abandoning　the　project　which　had　brought　him　to　it。　One　morning；　finding　a　favorable　occasion；　he　opened　his　mind　to　Dona　Perfecta　on　this　point。

〃Nephew；〃　responded　that　lady；　with　her　accustomed　gentleness；　〃don't　be　rash。　Why！　you　are　like　fire。　Your　father　was　just　the　samewhat　a　man　he　was！　You　are　like　a　flashI　have　already　told　you　that　I　will　be　very　glad　to　call　you　my　son。　Even　if　you　did　not　possess　the　good　qualities　and　the　talents　which　distinguish　you　（in　spite　of　some　little　defects；　for　you　have　those；　too）；　even　if　you　were　not　as　good　as　you　are；　it　is　enough　that　this　union　has　been　proposed　by　your　father；　to　whom　both　my　daughter　and　myself　owe　so　much；　for　me　to　accept　it。　And　Rosarito　will　not　oppose　it　since　I　wish　it。　What　is　wanting；　then？　Nothing；　there　is　nothing　wanting　but　a　little　time。　The　marriage　cannot　be　concluded　with　the　haste　you　desire　and　which　might；　perhaps；　give　ground　for　interpretations　discreditable　to　my　dear　daughter's　reputation。　But　as　you　think　of　nothing　but　machines；　you　want　every　thing　done　by　steam。　Wait；　man；　wait；　what　hurry　are　you　in？　This　hatred　that　you　have　taken　to　our　poor　Orbajosa　is　nothing　but　a　caprice。　But　of　course　you　can　only　live　among　counts　and　marquises　and　orators　and　diplomatsall　you　want　is　to　get　married　and　separate　me　forever　from　my　daughter；〃　she　added；　wiping　away　a　tear。　〃Since　that　is　the　case；　inconsiderate　boy；　at　least　have　the　charity　to　delay　for　a　little　this　marriage；　for　which　you　are　so　eager。　What　impatience！　What　ardent　love！　I　did　not　suppose　that　a　poor　country　girl　like　my　daughter　could　inspire　so　violent　a　passion。〃

The　arguments　of　his　aunt　did　not　convince　Pepe　Rey；　but　he　did　not　wish　to　contradict　her。　A　fresh　cause　of　anxiety　was　soon　added　to　those　which　already　embittered　his　existence。　He　had　now　been　in　Orbajosa　for　two　weeks；　and　during　that　time　he　had　received　no　letter　from　his　father。　This　could　not　be　attributed　to　carelessness　on　the　part　of　the　officials　of　the　post…office　of　Orbajosa；　for　the　functionary　who　had　charge　of　that　service　being　the　friend　and　/prot間？　of　Dona　Perfecta；　the　latter　every　day　recommended　him　to　take　the　greatest　care　that　the　letters　addressed　to　her　nephew　did　not　go　astray。　The　letter…carrier；　named　Cristoval　Ramos；　and　nicknamed　Caballucoa　personage　whose　acquaintance　we　have　already　madealso　visited　the　house；　and　to　him　Dona　Perfecta　was　accustomed　to　address　warnings　and　reprimands　as　energetic　as　the　following：

〃A　pretty　mail　service　you　have！　How　is　it　that　my　nephew　has　not　received　a　single　letter　since　he　has　been　in　Orbajosa？　When　the　carrying　of　the　mail　is　entrusted　to　such　a　giddy…pate；　how　can　things　be　expected　to　go　well？　I　will　speak　to　the　governor　of　the　province　so　that　he　may　be　careful　what　kind　of　people　he　puts　in　the　post…office。〃

Caballuco；　shrugging　his　shoulders；　looked　at　Rey　with　the　most　complete　indifference。

One　day　he　entered